When I was a kid, I had several story albums. Remember those? Vinyl records included with illustrated books?They were fables, and the one I remember the most - the one I listened to over and over - was "The Grasshopper and the Ant".
I'm not sure why that particular fable engrossed me, but I vividly remember the illustrations. Especially the one at the end of the story, where the business-like ant takes in the frivolous, near-death grasshopper.
That miserable grasshopper, sitting there sipping on soup while soaking his frozen feet in a tub of warm water as the ant places a warm blanket around him. It stuck with me. Forget the tortoise and the hare, I didn't want to ever be that grasshopper!
Am I so darn practical because of that story, or did I like that story because I'm so darn practical?
Whatevs. This week's prompt at Illustration Friday is "Fable", so thanks for that walk down memory lane.
Happy Easter, to those who celebrate! And happy Sunday, everyone else! We haven't been church-going folk for a while, and don't have any special plans for today. Yesterday, I helped Meego complete his taxes, so there's that.
This past week, we went to the end-of-season potluck thing for the winter guard and winter percussion programs. The coaches gave out a few awards, and Meego won an award for "Best Attitude", which in my HUMBLE opinion is the most bestest award. Attitude is everything, right?
Funny thing, they actually mispelled Meego's name on the plaque. Surprisingly, they spelled his often mispelled last name correctly, but typoed the first name. Transpose a couple of letters on Meego's real first name, and you end up with a bodily organ, and that's what the plaque says. Meego had a good laugh with it (attitude...), and actually, there are certainly worse bodily organs to be referred by.
Magnum and I took a walk to the post office yesterday. The post office makes a nice walk destination because there's a lovely pond along the way.
Sure enough, we got to the post office to find a section of the sidewalk taped off:
See "Mother Goose"? The baby daddy was out near the parking lot, securing the perimeter.
I'm thinking that these geese aren't the sharpest nest builders when it comes to location, location, location, but they seem to be getting it done.
There's probably a fable there.
12 comments:
After I type this, I'm going to check the shelves for my kids' Fables book. Thank you for bringing back old, fun memories with my kids.
I'll bet Meego's transposed new name is an accurate refection of him. ;-)
How awesome to have hatchings and a pretty walk by a pond nearby. I remember a story album I listened to over and over as a kid called "The Point." My whole family would listen to it and quote from it. I'd love to hear it again.
I had totally forgot about the story albums until now. I loved them too. Thanks for the memories. :)
Congrats to Meego on his attitude award! You're right, that's the bestest honor out there.
I love that the post office roped off their nesting area. Wonder if the geese are having second thoughts on where they've chosen to start their family. Do you think they're all like "wtf?" every time someone walks by?
Oh yes I agree attitude is definitely one to be proud of, Congrats to Meego for being exactly who he is.
Location, location, location, now these geese just may have it figured out, they do have the sidewalk taped off and the area to themselves, can't go wrong there I suppose.
Nice grasshopper! I guess we're in sync this week with story albums. I remember petitioning my dad about having a grasshopper day instead of being damned ants when we were doing yard work on a beautiful day. I may have won that battle to go fishing, cuz you know, fish could be supper, so it was kind of ant-like :)
The coach said, "oh no! I was just typing really fast!" He could probably whip up a newly corrected award, but we're kinda having fun with the original :)
What's "the point"? *snicker*
Honestly, I'm curious now. I've never heard of it.
I don't think kids can get as lost in youtube as we did with those story albums. Who knows?
And that goose mom. As I took her photo while her husband was out in the parking lot, I swore she said to me, "I sure can pick 'em, eh?" *eye roll*
The goose mom looks pretty comfortable in that post office bush planter. They've got to cross a pretty wide street to get back to the pond though, so I hope they make it with the kids!
I recall that grasshopper sitting around, plucking a guitar, and smoking weed. Or maybe the weed smoking was something my brain recently conjured. Fishing is above those things, but we all need a "grasshopper day" now and then!
As usual, great work Abby. I seem to have lost my favorite book of fables and I hope it turns up somewhere. I loved it and can't remember what edition it was to find it again.
Didn't Jesus get cross with the guys doing their taxes on a Sunday and turn all their tables over? Maybe I'm confused. I was in the States on Easter Sunday with my 22 year old daughter and we didn't go to church either.
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